Distinct, Separate Injection And Producing Wells Patents (Class 166/268)
  • Patent number: 11822038
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for determining a contact angle, a wettability, or both, of one or more types of solid particles within a geological formation. The method may include identifying a relative conductive of the type of solid particles and identifying a frequency range for one or more EM measurements. The method may also include determining a contact angle associated with at least one type of solid particles within the geological formation using the electromagnetic measurements corresponding to the frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Siddharth Misra, Dean Homan, Yuteng Jin, John Rasmus
  • Patent number: 11795796
    Abstract: A method for mitigating gas override in an hydrocarbon reservoir by increasing sweep efficiency and consequently improving incremental oil recovery is provided with at least one injection well, at least one production well, and an hydrocarbon reservoir. The injection well and the production well are in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon reservoir. An injection blend produced by mixing a displacement fluid with an organic solvent is transferred into the hydrocarbon reservoir through the injection well. Preferably, the displacement fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide and the organic solvent is triethyl citrate. The higher density and the viscosity of the injection blend are vital in reducing gravity override and improving sweep efficiency. A resulting injection blend is extracted from the production well and the organic solvent is separated. Since the organic solvent can be reused, the method of mitigating gas override can be financially and operationally beneficial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Sidqi A. Abu-Khamsin, Khaled H. Al-Azani
  • Patent number: 11747508
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for determining a wettability of one or more types of solid particles within a geological formation. The method may include receiving a plurality of electromagnetic measurements within a frequency range from an electromagnetic well-logging tool. The method may also include determining a contact angle associated with at least one type of solid particles within the geological formation using the electromagnetic measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Siddharth Misra, Dean Homan, Yuteng Jin, John Rasmus
  • Patent number: 11448635
    Abstract: A method for determining a contact angle of a hydrocarbon on a rock surface, the method including injecting a first brine fluid into a test cell, the first brine fluid having an initial ionic composition, injecting a hydrocarbon fluid into the test cell, contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with the first brine fluid, forming a droplet, measuring the contact angle of the hydrocarbon fluid, at least partially displacing the first brine fluid with an inert gas, measuring a ionic composition of the displaced first brine fluid in an ionic chromatograph, and comparing the measured ionic composition to the initial ionic composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Ahmed Gmira, Ali Abdullah Al-Yousef
  • Patent number: 11203711
    Abstract: An aqueous composition comprising at least a continuous aqueous phase and particles of a paraffin inhibitor component distributed therein, which is stabilized by a combination of at least 3 surfactants. Processes for producing compositions of this kind, and the use of compositions of this kind as a pour point depressant and wax inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventor: Edward Bohres
  • Patent number: 11193055
    Abstract: This invention relates to a surfactant composition, production and use thereof in tertiary oil recovery. The present surfactant composition comprises a cationic-nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant, and exhibits significantly improved interfacial activity and stability as compared with the prior art. With the present surfactant composition, a flooding fluid composition for tertiary oil recovery with improved oil displacement efficiency and oil washing capability as compared with the prior art could be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORPORATION, SHANGHAI RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF PETROCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, SINOPEC
    Inventors: Yingcheng Li, Songyuan Gu, Weidong Zhang, Xinning Bao, Ou Sha, Zhiqin Shen, Yiqing Yang, Xiaodong Zhai
  • Patent number: 11131178
    Abstract: A system and a method for seawater pre-treatment and injection are disclosed. The seawater pre-treatment and injection system comprises at least one subsea water well connectable to a seawater injection system comprising at least a water injection pump in flow communication with a water injection well, wherein the subsea water well is made as a hole into a groundwater holding strata under the mud-line with a water permeable or non-permeable completion using the seafloor soil for filtration, with an inner tubing connectable to the seawater injection system via a valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY SCANDINAVIA AS
    Inventors: Jose Luis Plasencia, Keith Birch
  • Patent number: 11041064
    Abstract: This addition-cure silicone composition comprises (A) an organopolysiloxane that has two or more aliphatic unsaturated hydrocarbon groups per molecule and has a kinematic viscosity of 60-100,000 mm2/s at 25° C., (B) an organohydrogen polysiloxane that has two or more silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule, and (C) hydrosilylation catalyst particles that have a microcapsule structure in which a platinum group metal catalyst-containing organic compound or polymer compound (C?) serves as a core substance, while a three-dimensional crosslinked polymer compound obtained by polymerizing at least one type of a polyfunctional monomer (C?) serves as a wall substance, wherein [solubility parameter of (C?)]?[solubility parameter of (C?)] is at least 1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keita Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 11021940
    Abstract: A system for improving a steam oil ratio (SOR) includes a direct steam generator (DSG) boiler fluidly coupled with a downhole portion of a steam system via at least a DSG outlet, wherein the DSG boiler is configured to schedule super-heat delivered to the downhole portion to optimize the SOR associated with the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: XDI Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: James C. Juranitch
  • Patent number: 11021941
    Abstract: A system for improving a steam oil ratio (SOR) includes a boiler fluidly coupled with a downhole portion of a steam system via at least a boiler conduit, wherein the boiler is configured to schedule super-heat delivered to the downhole portion to optimize the SOR associated with the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: XDI Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: James C. Juranitch
  • Patent number: 10995588
    Abstract: A heating installation for hydrocarbon extraction pipes via a well linking the surface to an extraction zone, including a substantially cylindrical casing consolidating the drill hole, a hydrocarbon extraction method and method to enable a hot fluid to be made to circulate from the surface to the well zone to be heated. The injection method includes in the casing first thermally insulated heating tubing to inject the hot fluid from the surface to the required depth and second heating tubing surrounding the first tubing to bring the hot fluid towards the surface and the extraction method includes a pumping tubing surrounding the first and second heating tubing for the extraction of hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ITP SA
    Inventors: Jean-Aurélien Damour, Guillaume Coeffe, Darren Johannson
  • Patent number: 10968151
    Abstract: Various illustrative embodiments of a system and process for recovering high-quality biomethane and carbon dioxide product streams from biogas sources and utilizing or sequestering the product streams are provided. The system and process synergistically yield a biomethane product which meets gas pipeline quality specifications and a carbon dioxide product of a quality and form that allows for its transport and sequestration or utilization and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The system and process result in improved access to gas pipelines for products, an improvement in the carbon intensity rating of the methane fuel, and improvements in generation of credits related to reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: WM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDINGS, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Noah Whitmore
  • Patent number: 10900329
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to generate map values for a plurality of parameters corresponding to respective grid blocks of a reservoir, wherein the values have been previously generated based on an initial simulation result from a model of the reservoir; to generate a sector surrogate model that includes a subset of grid blocks of the reservoir based on a criterion for identifying grid blocks that negatively affect simulation of the reservoir; to provide data inputs to execute a simulation of the reservoir using the sector surrogate model; and to generate revised data inputs, based on results of the simulation of the reservoir using the sector surrogate model, to use in a subsequent simulation using the model of the reservoir. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Edward Hinkley, Terry Wayne Wong, Graham Christopher Fleming
  • Patent number: 10870794
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of extending an oil and gas system effective stimulated reservoir volume by performing the steps of adding a brine resistant silicon dioxide nanoparticle dispersion to oil well treatment fluids. This method is found to increase initial production rates of an oil well by over 20.0% as compared to wells either not treated with the brine resistant silicon dioxide nanoparticle dispersion technology or treated by conventional nano-emulsion surfactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Chemical America Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Holcomb, Yusra Khan Ahmad, John Edmond Southwell
  • Patent number: 10787891
    Abstract: A method to enhance the production of oil from underground oil deposits recovers the anode exhaust stream components and thermal energy from a fuel cell for injection in a well pipeline to heat, displace and flow oil into a production well pipeline at optimal reservoir pressure and operating conditions. The process recovers and injects the GHG emission stream from a fuel cell anode exhaust stream into an oil reservoir to increase oil production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: 1304338 Alberta Ltd., 1304342 Alberta Ltd.
    Inventors: Mackenzie Millar, Jose Lourenco
  • Patent number: 10781362
    Abstract: An oil recovery composition of an aqueous solution of one or more salts and dilute polymer and processes for enhanced oil recovery using the oil recovery composition are provided. An oil recovery composition may include an aqueous solution of one or more salts having a salinity of about 4000 parts-per-million (ppm) to about 8000 ppm, a polymer having a concentration of 250 ppm to 500 ppm, and metal oxide nanoparticles having a concentration in the range of 0.01 weight (wt) % to 0.05 wt %. The one or more salts may include sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). The polymer may include a copolymer of acrylamide and acrylamido tertiary butyl sulfonate (ATBS). The oil recovery compositions provided may be suited for enhancing oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs having in situ oil viscosities less than 3 centipoise (cP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Subhash Chandrabose Ayirala, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef, Abdulkareem M. Al-Sofi
  • Patent number: 10723937
    Abstract: An oil recovery composition of an aqueous solution of one or more salts and dilute polymer and processes for enhanced oil recovery using the oil recovery composition are provided. An oil recovery composition may include an aqueous solution of one or more salts having a salinity of about 4000 parts-per-million (ppm) to about 8000 ppm, a polymer having a concentration of 250 ppm to 500 ppm, and metal oxide nanoparticles having a concentration in the range of 0.01 weight (wt) % to 0.05 wt %. The one or more salts may include sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). The polymer may include a copolymer of acrylamide and acrylamido tertiary butyl sulfonate (ATBS). The oil recovery compositions provided may be suited for enhancing oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs having in situ oil viscosities less than 3 centipoise (cP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Subhash Chandrabose Ayirala, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef, Abdulkareem M. Al-Sofi
  • Patent number: 10717921
    Abstract: The present invention includes a foam-forming composition for use in enhanced oil recovery, and a method of using said foam-forming composition for recovering oil. The foam-forming composition of the present invention comprises a nonionic surfactant, in particular an alcohol-alkoxylate, and an anionic surfactant, in particular an alkyl diphenyloxide (di)sulfonate, where the foam-forming composition promotes a formation of a stable foam formed of a CO2 and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: David L. Frattarelli, Joydeep Mukherjee, Susan K. Falcone-Potts, Martha Hernandez, Troy E. Knight, Pramod D. Patil
  • Patent number: 10711564
    Abstract: A well treatment fluid is provided. The well treatment fluid comprises a base fluid, and a plurality of degradable metal alloy milling waste particulates. A method of treating a well using the well treatment fluid is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Glen Dusterhoft, Michael Linley Fripp, Philip D. Nguyen, Dipti Singh
  • Patent number: 10705251
    Abstract: A system and method for characterizing subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs, such as through fault modeling in low order continuous scale simulation of real world subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs having discontinuities and improving an accuracy and speed of the characterizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Tachyus Corporation
    Inventors: Yong Zhao, Pallav Sarma
  • Patent number: 10648308
    Abstract: A variation of expanding solvent steam assisted gravity drainage (ES-SAGD) production of heavy oil wherein steam and hydrocarbon solvent are co-injected into a heavy oil reservoir and water, hydrocarbon solvent and heavy oil are produced by gravity drainage until the steam chamber is well developed or until oil recovery reaches about 20-30% of oil in place. At that time, the wells are switched to a lateral sweep using non-condensible gas (NSG) and steam co-injection, where more hydrocarbon solvent is recovered than is recovered with ES-SAGD used alone and where the cumulative steam to oil ratio is reduced over using -ES-SAGD alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Bo Chen, Thomas James Wheeler, Pradeep Ananth Govind
  • Patent number: 10613710
    Abstract: A product simulation and control system includes: a server, including a product storage; and a device, including a processor, non-transitory memory, input/output, product browser, product simulator that simulates physical movement of products, and a product classifier that uses machine learning to optimize a product classification function. Also disclosed is a method for product simulation and control, including browsing, favoriting, tagging, selecting, page browsing, pinching, stretching, and simulating movement of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SWATCHBOOK, Inc.
    Inventor: Yazan W. Malkosh
  • Patent number: 10613908
    Abstract: A system, method and program product for managing hydrocarbon energy production. A hydrocarbon field modeler models physical characteristics of a hydrocarbon energy field. A load predictor predicts processing workload in modeling the hydrocarbon energy field, and identifying a balanced modeling unit distribution across multiple processors simulating field production. A load distribution unit distributes the modeling units across the processors for a balanced modeling unit distribution. The load predictor and load distribution unit proactively shifts loads to maintain workload balanced throughout the simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: REPSOL, S.A., International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pablo Enrique Vargas Mendoza, Jose Maria Segura Serra, Nubia Aurora Gonzalez Molano, Lashmikantha Mookanahallipatna Ramasesha, Roberto Federico Ausas, Kamal C. Das, Freddy Ernesto Mackay Espindola, Ulisses Mello, Ankur Narang, Carmen Nilda Mena Paz, Eduardo Rocha Rodrigues, Paula Aida Sesini
  • Patent number: 10526530
    Abstract: A method includes introducing a treatment fluid including a first polymer gel into a subterranean formation to generate a production fluid having an aqueous portion and a hydrocarbon portion, treating the aqueous portion of the production fluid with chlorine dioxide to separate additional hydrocarbons from the aqueous portion, and adjusting the viscosity of the treated aqueous portion prior to introducing the treated aqueous portion back into the subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SABRE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventor: John Mason
  • Patent number: 10483558
    Abstract: A system for collecting flue gas from a combustion process wherein the flue gas has elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide and converting it into electrical power and useful by-products. Kinetic energy of flue gas is used to power a wind turbine that is coupled to a generator to generate electricity. A scrubber isolates CO2 from other components of the flue gas. The CO2 is converted and stored in carbonic acid solution. The carbonic acid solution is then provided to a galvanic cell that generates electrical power and converts the reactant materials in the cell into useful by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventors: Vedant Parehk, Abhishek Parehk
  • Patent number: 10439474
    Abstract: A turbine includes a rotor. The rotor is connected to at least one blade. The blade is at least partially ultrahard material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jonathan D. Marshall, Jordan Dane Englund
  • Patent number: 10408032
    Abstract: A system and method of producing a deposit of gas and liquid hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, where a pressure of the gas hydrocarbons is regulated. Strategically regulating a pressure of the gas hydrocarbons prevents the gas hydrocarbons from expanding into a path of the liquid hydrocarbons flowing to a wellbore. The liquid hydrocarbons are produced through a production well that is drilled from surface and into a zone within the subterranean formation containing the deposit. A gas expansion circuit is also drilled through the formation, and has a portion that terminates proximate an interface between the gas and liquid hydrocarbons. Thus as the gas hydrocarbons expand into spaces left empty by draining the liquid hydrocarbons, the expanding gas is diverted into the gas expansion circuit rather than into the path of liquid hydrocarbons still in the zone. The gas expansion circuit can have a “fish-bone” configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ahmad J. Al-Muraikhi, Yanhui A. Wang, Ivan G. Ramirez
  • Patent number: 10377942
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon formation treatment micellar solution fluid and its use in treating underperforming hydrocarbon formations is described and claimed. A hydrocarbon formation treatment micellar solution fluid wherein the micellar solution fluid comprises water, a non-terpene oil-based moiety, a brine resistant aqueous colloidal silica sol; and optionally a terpene or a terpenoid, wherein the brine resistant aqueous colloidal silica sol has silica particles with a surface that is functionalized with at least one moiety selected from the group consisting of a hydrophilic organosilane, a mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic organosilanes, or a polysiloxane oligomer, wherein the brine resistant aqueous colloidal silica sol passes at least two of three of these brine resistant tests: API Brine Visual, 24 Hour Seawater Visual and API Turbidity Meter, and wherein, when a terpene or terpenoid is present, the ratio of total water to terpene or terpenoid is at least about 15 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan Chemical America Corporation
    Inventors: John Edmond Southwell, Yusra Khan Ahmad
  • Patent number: 10280361
    Abstract: A method of breaking the viscosity of a treatment fluid comprises: adding hydrophobic nanoparticles to a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a viscoelastic surfactant gelling agent, the hydrophobic nanoparticles comprising metallic nanoparticles that are surface modified with C6-30 aliphatic groups, wherein the hydrophobic nanoparticles are added in an amount effective to decrease the viscosity of the treatment fluid as compared to a treatment fluid absent the hydrophobic nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Shiv Shankar Sangaru, Prahlad Yadav, Tianping Huang, Gaurav Agrawal, Pranjal Sarmah
  • Patent number: 10240079
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include suspensions for use in enhanced oil recovery, and methods of using the suspensions for recovering oil. Suspensions of the present disclosure include a nonionic surfactant that can dissolve in supercritical carbon dioxide, and a metal salt having a concentration of 200 to 1 parts-per-million.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Aaron W. Sanders
  • Patent number: 10240082
    Abstract: The disclosure claimed herein relates to well systems for various fluids production, in particular, for production of fluids from hydrocarbon-containing formations using hydraulic fracturing process. According to the proposed method, injecting into well of fracturing fluid not containing proppant is performed to form a fracture in the formation, after which fracturing fluid is injected into the wellbore in pulse mode; the pulse mode provides at least one pulse of injecting fracturing fluid containing proppant, and at least one pulse of proppant-free fluid. Also, methods for fluid production and injection are proposed. Methods for fluids production, injection and recovery using hydraulic fracturing method are proposed. The proposed method increase the well lifetime due to reduced fluid flow impact on fracture walls and proppant clusters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Danil Sergeyevich Pantsurkin, Geza Horvath Szabo, Chad Kraemer, Mohan Kanaka Raju Panga
  • Patent number: 10160904
    Abstract: A method of treating a treatment zone of a well, the method comprising: (A) forming a treatment fluid comprising: (i) a continuous gas phase comprising a gas; and (ii) a surfactant, wherein the surfactant has the following characteristics: (a) a normal boiling point less than 500° F. (260° C.) without significant thermal decomposition; and (b) providing a dynamic surface tension of less than about 40 dynes/cm for a 0.1 wt % solution, or having an HLB (Griffin) in the range of about 2 to about 20, or both; wherein the surfactant is dispersed in the gas; and (B) introducing the treatment fluid into the treatment zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Cato Russell McDaniel, Pubudu H. Gamage
  • Patent number: 10066155
    Abstract: Viscosifying proppants including proppant particles coated with a CO2-philic coating in which the CO2-philic coating has a solvable portion that viscosifies a CO2-based fluid when the viscosifying proppant is added to the CO2-based fluid are provided. Methods of making viscosifying proppants are also provided that include coating proppant particles with a precursor material of a CO2-philic material, and polymerizing the precursor material to form a viscosifying proppant. Viscous hydraulic fracturing fluids include a CO2-based fluid and the viscosifying proppants and methods of treating subterranean formations that include contacting a subterranean formation with a viscous hydraulic fracturing fluid and propagating at least one subterranean fracture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Feng Liang, Ghaithan A. Al-Muntasheri, Leiming Li, B. Raghava Reddy
  • Patent number: 10030483
    Abstract: An efficient and cost-effective process of carbon dioxide recycling in enhanced oil recovery wells or in fracturing wells is provided. The process comprises recovering a hydrocarbon enriched stream of condensed carbon dioxide from and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) well or a fracturing well; adding to said stream one or more thickeners; and directing the thickened stream to the EOR well or fracturing well for recycled usage in EOR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Dan Hancu, Michael Joseph O'Brien, Robert James Perry, Stanlee Teresa Buddle, Mark Daniel Doherty
  • Patent number: 10018023
    Abstract: A method for enhancing oil and oil residue recovery from oil-containing rock formations by supplementing a water cycle of a water alternate gas process with nutrients such that the formation resident microorganisms are stimulated as an additional oil release mechanism is provided. The method alters three-phase relative permeability in order to increase displacement efficiency while increasing oil release by microbially assisted water alternate gas processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Titan Oil Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian W. G. Marcotte, Alan James Sheehy, Colin Kenneth Hill, Michael Thomas Carroll
  • Patent number: 9951264
    Abstract: A foam generating surfactant formulation includes a betaine, an alpha-olefin sulfonate and a nanofluid. The betaine is preferably a cocamidopropyl betaine or laurel betaine. The alpha-olefin sulfonate is preferably an anionic surfactant having between 8 and 18 carbon atoms per molecule. The nanofluid is preferably an oil-in-water nanofluid that includes an emulsifying surfactant, a solvent, a co-solvent and water. The addition of the nanofluid increases the thermal stability and salt resistance of the foam generating surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Flotek Chemistry, LLC
    Inventors: Glenn S. Penny, Yu Bian, John T. Pursley
  • Patent number: 9920596
    Abstract: In-situ heating of coal facilitates desorption and diffusion of the methane for production of the methane through a wellbore. Water within fractures of the coal forms an electrical conduit through which current is passed. The heating relies at least in part on resistivity of the water, which thereby preheats the coal for the recovering of the methane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Shuxing Dong, Thomas J. Wheeler, W. Reid Dreher, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9897721
    Abstract: A computing device facilitates the organization of a plurality of three-dimensional geological data realizations into respective one-dimensional arrays of geological property values, with each geological property value corresponding to a three-dimensional grid location of a respective three-dimensional geological data realization. The computing device then facilitates the grouping of the one-dimensional arrays into two or more array clusters based on a comparison of geometric locations of the geological property values within the respective arrays, and selects at least one of the plurality of three-dimensional geological data realizations for each of the two or more array clusters. The selected data realizations are then provided at a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jin Fei, Genbao Shi, Jeffrey Marc Yarus, Richard L. Chambers
  • Patent number: 9896902
    Abstract: A method and systems are provided for injecting a hydrate slurry into a reservoir. The method includes combining gas and water within a subsea simultaneous water and gas (SWAG) injection system. The method also includes forming a hydrate slurry from the gas and the water, and injecting the hydrate slurry into a reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard F. Stoisits, Larry D. Talley, Jason W. Lachance, Douglas J. Turner
  • Patent number: 9850167
    Abstract: The invention provides a carbon dioxide-resistant hydraulic cement composition. The inventive composition comprises a Portland cement, Class C fly ash and water. The Class C fly ash is present in the composition in an amount in the range of from about 5% to less than about 30% by weight based on the total weight of the cementitious components in the composition. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of cementing in a carbon dioxide environment. In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of enhancing the recovery of a hydrocarbon fluid from a subterranean formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok K. Santra, David Kulakofsky
  • Patent number: 9789134
    Abstract: The invention relates to the medicine, namely to an agent for reducing the cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood plasma. The agent claimed comprises a nanocomposite that is a carbon-containing nanoparticles coated with the organic alkyl functional groups representing the residuals —C4H9, —C6H11, —C8H15, —C10H21, —C16H33, —C18H35. These groups are deposited by the covalent modification using diazonium salts of the general formula XC6H4N2+Y?, where X is the alkyl residual —C4H9, —C6H11, —C8H15, —C10H21, —C16H33, or C18H35, Y is the anion HSO4?, Cl?, BF4? or TsO?. The invention provides an effective reduction of cholesterol and triglyceride presented in the blood plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: FEDERAL STATE BUDGETARY SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION “RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CARDIOLOGY”, NATIONAL RESEARCH TOMSK POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY “NANOCOR”
    Inventors: Shamil′ D. Akhmedov, Sergej A. Afanasiev, Victor D. Filimonov, Pavel S. Postnikov, Marina E. Trusova, Rostislav S. Karpov
  • Patent number: 9719009
    Abstract: A process for recovering oil from a carbonate reservoir of high salinity, wherein supercritical CO2 floodings are combined with a fluorosurfactant in the tertiary recovery. Embodiments include alternating injection and co-injection schemes of the supercritical CO2 and the fluorosurfactant. A stable fluorosurfactant-CO2 foam that is not susceptible to the harsh conditions of the reservoir (temperature, pressure and salinity) can be successfully generated, leading to a reduction in the mobility of CO2, an increase in the mobility of the reservoir oil, higher contact between the injected fluid with the oil and a better sweep efficiency of the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Zaid Zaffar Jangda, Abdullah S. Sultan
  • Patent number: 9690001
    Abstract: A 4D seismic technique, where a base seismic trace is measured at a first time in a region of the subsoil, and then a monitor seismic trace corresponding to the base seismic trace is measured at a second time. To interpret the 4D measurements, assumptions are made about the variation of elastic parameters in permeable layers at predefined positions in one direction between the first and the second time. Elastic parameters include the density (?) and the speed of propagation of the pressure waves (VP) in the permeable layers. Numerical evaluation is performed for a capability of each assumption about the variation of elastic parameters to give an account of a change between the measured base seismic trace and the measured monitor seismic trace, and the variation of the elastic parameters is estimated in accordance with an assumption of optimum capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TOTAL SA
    Inventors: Pierre Thore, Christian Hubans
  • Patent number: 9631134
    Abstract: A process of treating a subterranean well comprising a plurality of flow channels and at least one of the flow channels is impaired. The treatment is used for alleviating the impairment. The process comprises a flow of gaseous carrier fluid supplied into the subterranean well. The gaseous carrier fluid pushes liquids out of the plurality of the flow channels. A liquid treatment agent is created. To create the liquid treatment agent, first, a surfactant solution is created and diluted with a solvent. The surfactant solution is created by compounding a plurality of non-ionic ethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester surfactants together until a proper hydrophilic-lipophilic balance is achieved. At some point, the liquid treatment agent is atomized. This atomized liquid treatment agent is blended with the gaseous carrier fluid, to create an atomized treatment fog. The atomized treatment fog is supplied into the subterranean well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence O. Price
  • Patent number: 9605523
    Abstract: The present invention is an in-situ apparatus for generating carbon dioxide gas at an oil site for use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The apparatus includes a steam generator adapted to boil and superheat water to generate a source of superheated steam, as well as a source of essentially pure oxygen. The apparatus also includes a steam reformer adapted to react a carbonaceous material with the superheated steam and the pure oxygen, in an absence of air, to generate a driver gas comprising primarily carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas. A separator is adapted to separate at least a portion of the carbon dioxide gas from the rest of the driver gas to generate a carbon dioxide-rich driver gas and a hydrogen-rich fuel gas. A compressor is used for compressing the carbon dioxide-rich driver gas for use in enhanced oil recovery, and the compressed carbon dioxide-rich driver gas, with substantially no oxygen, is injected to a predetermined depth in order to enhance oil recovery at the oil site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Pioneer Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert M. Zubrin, Mark H. Berggren
  • Patent number: 9234413
    Abstract: A system comprising a well drilled into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons; a production facility at a topside of the well; a water production facility connected to the production facility; wherein the water production facility produces water by removing some multivalent ions, then removing some monovalent ions, and then adding back some monovalent ions, and then injects the water into the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Subhash Chandra Bose Ayirala, Robert Wing-Yu Chin, Andreas Nicholas Matzakos, Ernesto Uehara-Nagamine
  • Patent number: 9109398
    Abstract: Methods for forming a geothermal well are provided. A method for forming a geothermal well can include drilling a first wellbore having a substantially linear segment connected to an arcuate segment. A second wellbore can be drilled to connect to a terminating end of the arcuate segment, thereby forming a wellbore loop. A thermally conductive tube can be disposed through the wellbore loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Mechanical & Electrical Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Willard D. Harris, Michael Batten
  • Patent number: 9074469
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for the enhanced recovery of fluids from subterranean reservoirs using cryogenic fluids. Using the Earth's geothermal energy to warm cryogenic flood fluids injected into subterranean reservoirs, the pressure within the subterranean reservoir is increased. Consequently, the reservoir conductivity is enhanced due to thermal cracking, and improved sweep efficiency of the reservoir by the flood fluids is provided. This rise in pressure due to the injection of the cryogenic fluid increases the reservoir conductivity enhancement and improves sweep efficiency of the flood fluids, which leads to the production of more fluids from to the subterranean reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: David Randolph Smith
  • Patent number: 8991491
    Abstract: The present invention relates to producing oil from an oil-bearing geological formation using a selection process. The process includes selecting a treatment option such as carbon dioxide flooding for enhancing oil recovery from a geological formation in a remote location. Various characteristic properties such as a physical or chemical property of the oil or rock may be used in the selection process and the carbon dioxide may be captured from a combustion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: David Kalinowski, Steven Higgens
  • Patent number: 8985205
    Abstract: An in situ extraction process for heavy oil reservoirs using solvent comprises removing liquids and gases from areas contacting with the heavy oils to increase an interfacial area of unextracted heavy oil contactable by the solvent. Solvent vapor is injected into the areas to raise the reservoir pressure until sufficient liquid solvent is present to contact the increased interfacial area. The reservoir is shut in for a sufficient time for the solvent to diffuse into the unextracted oil across the interfacial area in a ripening step to create a reduced viscosity blend of solvent and oil. One or more reservoir characteristics is measured to confirm the extent of solvent dilution that has occurred of the unextracted oil in the reservoir. Gravity drainage based production is commenced from the reservoir upon the blend having a viscosity low enough to permit the blend to drain through the reservoir to a production well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: N-Solv Heavy Oil Corporation
    Inventor: John Nenniger